But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
If the good news is hidden, it is hidden only to those who are perishing, including those who will not accept the plain statement of Scripture. The hiding comes because the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers lest the light of the glorious good news of Christ should shine to them, casting his hellish shadow before souls and eclipsing the attractions of the eternal world. This is not the fault of the truth or of a faithful minister, for the truth is set forth plainly and openly with all dishonesty and deceitful handling renounced, so those who fail to value it are without excuse. People are blinded by unbelief, carnal hearts, prejudice, ungodly desire, pride in human wisdom, and love of worldly gain, while spiritual truth is discerned spiritually and its beauty and saving power are revealed to the humble and teachable. The light withheld from the lost is the light of Christ's glorious good news revealing Christ as the image of God and God's glory in Him, and against that blindness God who commanded light out of darkness shines in hearts with that knowledge as treasure in earthen vessels, transforming all who behold Jesus in love into His image.
Why the Gospel Is Hidden
If the gospel is hidden, it is hidden only to those who are lost, who do not believe and will not take the plain statement of Scripture. The truth is presented plainly and openly, so those who fail to value it have no excuse. The following verse explains the hiding: the god of this world blinds the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them.
He throws his hellish shadow before souls so they contemplate him instead of Christ, eclipsing the attractions of the eternal world while God is forgotten. The hiding is not the fault of the truth or of a faithful minister, for those entrusted with this ministry by mercy do not faint but have renounced hidden dishonesty, craftiness, and deceitful handling of the word, commending themselves by open manifestation of the truth to every conscience. The gospel is not concealed by withholding essential truth or distorting God's word, but is preached plainly with conduct that supports it, including the third angel's message, so those who fail to value it have no excuse.
People are blinded by unbelief, carnal hearts, prejudice, and ungodly desires and lust, which dull their ability to discern spiritual things. Failure to see biblical truth comes from not laying opinions and prejudices at the door of investigation, but holding to them instead of laying them aside. They resist further light because it demands sacrifice and cling to the world, reject God's instruction while cherishing false theories until truth becomes distasteful, and quibble and stumble over points of truth so that they would stumble over even the plainest statements.
Worldly and ambitious thoughts leave people without spiritual sight, so they do not see the light of the gospel of Christ nor perceive the treasures of God's Word. When earthly gain is prized and human requirements are put above God, those treasures remain hidden. Self in all its perverted attributes hardens the heart and closes the door against Jesus Christ abiding within, self-indulgence blinds eyes and minds so the light cannot shine to them, and pride in human wisdom and vain philosophy hides the gospel's worth.
The gospel can be hidden to those who are lost inside the professing church in its present state. They are the foolish virgins who have lamps but no oil, who profess to believe the truth and to know God yet do not worship Him as God, who remain unconverted with hard hearts and unappreciative minds. They may know Scripture yet remain spiritually poor, blind, and in need of inward purity and true holiness, with their sense of righteousness obscured, saying it makes no difference what day is kept despite Christ's presentation of the Sabbath on its original basis as Lord of the Sabbath and God's command to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. Satan makes masterly efforts to hold minds under his jurisdiction so Christ may not be seen, working through murmurings, complainings, doubts and unbelief sown in the church, whose leaven works in other hearts and leads souls by a perverted religious life into false and forbidden paths.
Spiritual truth is discerned spiritually, not by the natural mind. Its beauty, power, mystery, and saving work through the Holy Spirit are revealed to humble, teachable people and sincere seekers, while to the unrenewed that work appears foolishness. Those who willfully oppose truth are ruined by their blindness, while those who resist it in ignorance may later be converted, so no one need be lost.
What the Gospel Reveals
The light that remains hidden from the lost is the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. That gospel reveals Christ as the image of God and the true representation of the Father and of His law, and it reveals the glory of God in Jesus. To reject that law is to turn away from the Lawgiver Himself and from Christ, who is one with the Father. The refusal comes not from any failure or obscurity in the truth itself, but from rejection of its plain teaching.
Against that blindness, God who once commanded light to shine out of darkness has shined in human hearts to give the knowledge of His glory in Christ. This knowledge is a treasure held in earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of men. The treasure is offered freely through faith in Christ and is found by sincere seekers whose minds are not absorbed in worldly ambitions. God shines its knowledge into the heart, making Christ the pattern in life, character, and teaching as Christ Himself stood in the same relation to the Father.
The verse belongs to a contrast between those who receive the light of the gospel and come into truth and obedience and those who remain in darkness. Those who reject it remain in darkness because they do not receive its light. There can therefore be no fellowship or union between those governed by the principles of Christ and those governed by worldly principles.
Faith in Christ works through love and purifies the soul, and to those who have it the gospel is not hidden. Those with a living connection to God behold Jesus with gratitude and heavenly love, contemplating the character of the One who first loved them, full of compassion, goodness, mercy, and forgiveness. That beholding transforms the beholder into His image, sweeps away unbelieving fears before living, trusting faith, and produces confidence, hope, patience, and courage constantly increasing. It becomes like living water within, springing up unto everlasting life, an abiding principle of humble, grateful confidence.
How to Proclaim Gospel
Those who know the truth have a duty to make it known, being in large measure responsible for the honor, well-being, and salvation of the world as co-laborers with Christ in gathering souls to Him. The church is to give account to God for her stability and enlargement, and all who have light must walk and work in accordance with that light. This means working together with God and not speaking the sentiments of Satan by complaining of God, having renounced hidden dishonesty, craftiness, and deceitful handling of the word and commending the truth by open manifestation to every conscience.
Faithful workers preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, and themselves as servants for His sake. They make Christ their pattern in life, character, and manner of teaching, copying Him as He stood in relation to the Father, in order to direct those ready to perish what they must do to be saved. The church is called to arise to her exalted privileges, with each member standing in his place to represent the life and character of Jesus, revealing her high and holy character by active, wholly earnest religious service. The gospel is not hidden by ministers withholding essential truth or distorting the word, for it is presented plainly with conduct that supports the truth while God gives the light of the knowledge of His glory through Christ.
When ministers come to the people under the full influence of the meekness and lowliness of Christ and grow up into His stature, power attends their labors. Then impressions of Christ are stamped upon minds and characters, and impressions made by association work deeper and deeper into the mind. They make for themselves an abiding place, changing the soul after the likeness of Christ to voice His life-giving words.
When after plain and wise presentation people still cannot see the truth, the fault is not in the truth nor in the minister who presents it. Prejudice and lust can blind hearts and keep them from seeing its beauty, and this must not discourage faithful labor. The instruction is precious for every believer and is to be applied personally, calling for humble reflection on matters of eternal importance. It warns that those who remain lost do not receive the light of the gospel.
If the good news is hidden, it is hidden only to those who are perishing, including those who will not accept the plain statement of Scripture. The hiding comes because the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers lest the light of the glorious good news of Christ should shine to them, casting his hellish shadow before souls and eclipsing the attractions of the eternal world. This is not the fault of the truth or of a faithful minister, for the truth is set forth plainly and openly with all dishonesty and deceitful handling renounced, so those who fail to value it are without excuse. People are blinded by unbelief, carnal hearts, prejudice, ungodly desire, pride in human wisdom, and love of worldly gain, while spiritual truth is discerned spiritually and its beauty and saving power are revealed to the humble and teachable. The light withheld from the lost is the light of Christ's glorious good news revealing Christ as the image of God and God's glory in Him, and against that blindness God who commanded light out of darkness shines in hearts with that knowledge as treasure in earthen vessels, transforming all who behold Jesus in love into His image.
Why the Gospel Is Hidden
If the gospel is hidden, it is hidden only to those who are lost, who do not believe and will not take the plain statement of Scripture. The truth is presented plainly and openly, so those who fail to value it have no excuse. The following verse explains the hiding: the god of this world blinds the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them.
He throws his hellish shadow before souls so they contemplate him instead of Christ, eclipsing the attractions of the eternal world while God is forgotten. The hiding is not the fault of the truth or of a faithful minister, for those entrusted with this ministry by mercy do not faint but have renounced hidden dishonesty, craftiness, and deceitful handling of the word, commending themselves by open manifestation of the truth to every conscience. The gospel is not concealed by withholding essential truth or distorting God's word, but is preached plainly with conduct that supports it, including the third angel's message, so those who fail to value it have no excuse.
People are blinded by unbelief, carnal hearts, prejudice, and ungodly desires and lust, which dull their ability to discern spiritual things. Failure to see biblical truth comes from not laying opinions and prejudices at the door of investigation, but holding to them instead of laying them aside. They resist further light because it demands sacrifice and cling to the world, reject God's instruction while cherishing false theories until truth becomes distasteful, and quibble and stumble over points of truth so that they would stumble over even the plainest statements.
Worldly and ambitious thoughts leave people without spiritual sight, so they do not see the light of the gospel of Christ nor perceive the treasures of God's Word. When earthly gain is prized and human requirements are put above God, those treasures remain hidden. Self in all its perverted attributes hardens the heart and closes the door against Jesus Christ abiding within, self-indulgence blinds eyes and minds so the light cannot shine to them, and pride in human wisdom and vain philosophy hides the gospel's worth.
The gospel can be hidden to those who are lost inside the professing church in its present state. They are the foolish virgins who have lamps but no oil, who profess to believe the truth and to know God yet do not worship Him as God, who remain unconverted with hard hearts and unappreciative minds. They may know Scripture yet remain spiritually poor, blind, and in need of inward purity and true holiness, with their sense of righteousness obscured, saying it makes no difference what day is kept despite Christ's presentation of the Sabbath on its original basis as Lord of the Sabbath and God's command to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. Satan makes masterly efforts to hold minds under his jurisdiction so Christ may not be seen, working through murmurings, complainings, doubts and unbelief sown in the church, whose leaven works in other hearts and leads souls by a perverted religious life into false and forbidden paths.
Spiritual truth is discerned spiritually, not by the natural mind. Its beauty, power, mystery, and saving work through the Holy Spirit are revealed to humble, teachable people and sincere seekers, while to the unrenewed that work appears foolishness. Those who willfully oppose truth are ruined by their blindness, while those who resist it in ignorance may later be converted, so no one need be lost.
What the Gospel Reveals
The light that remains hidden from the lost is the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. That gospel reveals Christ as the image of God and the true representation of the Father and of His law, and it reveals the glory of God in Jesus. To reject that law is to turn away from the Lawgiver Himself and from Christ, who is one with the Father. The refusal comes not from any failure or obscurity in the truth itself, but from rejection of its plain teaching.
Against that blindness, God who once commanded light to shine out of darkness has shined in human hearts to give the knowledge of His glory in Christ. This knowledge is a treasure held in earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of men. The treasure is offered freely through faith in Christ and is found by sincere seekers whose minds are not absorbed in worldly ambitions. God shines its knowledge into the heart, making Christ the pattern in life, character, and teaching as Christ Himself stood in the same relation to the Father.
The verse belongs to a contrast between those who receive the light of the gospel and come into truth and obedience and those who remain in darkness. Those who reject it remain in darkness because they do not receive its light. There can therefore be no fellowship or union between those governed by the principles of Christ and those governed by worldly principles.
Faith in Christ works through love and purifies the soul, and to those who have it the gospel is not hidden. Those with a living connection to God behold Jesus with gratitude and heavenly love, contemplating the character of the One who first loved them, full of compassion, goodness, mercy, and forgiveness. That beholding transforms the beholder into His image, sweeps away unbelieving fears before living, trusting faith, and produces confidence, hope, patience, and courage constantly increasing. It becomes like living water within, springing up unto everlasting life, an abiding principle of humble, grateful confidence.
How to Proclaim Gospel
Those who know the truth have a duty to make it known, being in large measure responsible for the honor, well-being, and salvation of the world as co-laborers with Christ in gathering souls to Him. The church is to give account to God for her stability and enlargement, and all who have light must walk and work in accordance with that light. This means working together with God and not speaking the sentiments of Satan by complaining of God, having renounced hidden dishonesty, craftiness, and deceitful handling of the word and commending the truth by open manifestation to every conscience.
Faithful workers preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, and themselves as servants for His sake. They make Christ their pattern in life, character, and manner of teaching, copying Him as He stood in relation to the Father, in order to direct those ready to perish what they must do to be saved. The church is called to arise to her exalted privileges, with each member standing in his place to represent the life and character of Jesus, revealing her high and holy character by active, wholly earnest religious service. The gospel is not hidden by ministers withholding essential truth or distorting the word, for it is presented plainly with conduct that supports the truth while God gives the light of the knowledge of His glory through Christ.
When ministers come to the people under the full influence of the meekness and lowliness of Christ and grow up into His stature, power attends their labors. Then impressions of Christ are stamped upon minds and characters, and impressions made by association work deeper and deeper into the mind. They make for themselves an abiding place, changing the soul after the likeness of Christ to voice His life-giving words.
When after plain and wise presentation people still cannot see the truth, the fault is not in the truth nor in the minister who presents it. Prejudice and lust can blind hearts and keep them from seeing its beauty, and this must not discourage faithful labor. The instruction is precious for every believer and is to be applied personally, calling for humble reflection on matters of eternal importance. It warns that those who remain lost do not receive the light of the gospel.